Caliber
by voidvoid48
Summary: "Then, my last suggestion is perhaps getting some sort of firearm. Anything that can serve as self-defense without relying on your magic. If you keep using your magic in this state, you may lose it forever." The last thought made Alastor shudder. "I will take that into consideration..." A RadioDust story.
1. Chapter 1

**Cover Credits:**

**Husk by Ashley Nichols**

**Angel Dust by Kendraw Zoophobia**

**Alastor by KingZodiac14**

**City by VideoHive**

**All I did was photoshop the images together. **

* * *

Ever since the day they met, the radio demon encountered a recurring annoyance. Like a moth drawn to a candle, Angel continued to pester him with sexual advances. Points for creativity were due though, as everyday, there'd be a new pickup line or method. Alastor would've even called it entertaining had his annoyance not overtaken any semblance of enjoyment. Every advance was swiftly denied. The cycle would continue, until one day...

"Heya, foxy."

The voice had become very familiar, and he did not have to turn to see who it was. The cane blocked the predictable spider demon's movements, him knowing most of his tricks at this point, the hand clearly aiming to slide around his shoulder. "Not today, and not ever! And, I am part deer, not fox."

The retort did little to repel the flirtatious one. "Well, I can't help but target you. You have the most interesting reactions..."

"For the last time. I am not your plaything." The words were firm, but if anything, replying in any sort of manner did not serve to help the situation. It was a lose-lose situation no matter how he spun it.

"Maybe I can be yours then." And there it was. Annoyed, his sharp grin stayed, but his eyes lowered. Anticipating the second touch, he let a tentacle grab the incoming arm. For some reason however, he could feel... something. Angel was quiet. Frozen for a brief moment, Alastor turned to look, seeing the hand on his shoulder. The summoned appendage had completely missed. It wasn't even touching any of Angel, having shot directly left of him. The spider was just as stunned, having only managed to touch him maybe twice in the year they had known each other.

"What... get your hand off of me at once!" The tentacle dispersed, wiggling out of existence.

"Hey, hey, sorry! I thought you'd block it! Honest." His arms were raised in mock defense. Indeed, Alastor was certain he had made an attempt to redirect the offending arm. Yet this time... had he miscalculated? Was his battle sense off from taking so much time away from the game?

"Oh dear." He said out loud, grabbing Angel's attention, now going from in awe to curious.

"What's up? Am I finally rubbing off on you?"

"There will be no rubbing off on me. But..." Anxiety crept up his spine as a certain thought crossed his mind. If it was that, then it would potentially bode very poorly for him. "I require your...assistance, for just a moment!" As much as it pained him, this was essential. He had to know immediately if it was 'that', even if it meant... being touched. Turning around again and not having the spider in view, he relaxed himself, taking a few deep breaths. "Try to touch me again." A stifled laugh was the reply he received, making him even more frustrated. "Angel Dust, I said...!" Another thing hit him. One of the radio demon's trademarks was his unpredictable rage, causing a certain radius around him, in simple terms, to experience less than pleasant visions and noises. Alastor would know if this happened. Yet, right now...

"No, no... I'm just not mad enough. That has to be it."

"Hey, are you alright?" Angel was genuinely concerned. These behaviors were very unlike the confident, witty, calculated radio demon. He seemed annoyed, and now he was asking to be touched. It was like an alternate universe. If he was acting this way, then it had to be something major.

"I am COMPLETELY fine! Now hurry up and TOUCH me!" Again, he sensed Angel and knew exactly how to act. The sounds, the subtle feel of the ground, his instincts; all of it guided him. But once again, he felt the jitters as he felt that uncomfortable touch, Angel's hands all over his torso. He was being hugged from behind. He could smell the sickeningly sweet cologne, and a particularly soft patch of fluff on his back. He was almost certain the spider was smiling at this very moment. Immediately, the deer demon forced himself away, adjusting his coat with a huff. "Now I understand. Do not think what just happened meant... anything. It was nothing at all!"

"Whatever you say, hun." Angel replied casually, suave as he smirked. But in his thoughts, he knew there had to be something else. Realistically, the chances Alastor falling for him where next to none. He simply flirted for, well, the hell of it. It was just fun.

Alastor opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. This was not a good situation. Walking away with much less elegance than usual, he left the hotel and entered the alley around the back, completely exasperated. "Alright. Just... one more time." Extending his hands and thinking of exactly what he wanted, he concentrated. "...Gale." His powers enveloped him, and he traveled quickly. He gave a sigh of relief, teleportation at the very least being untouched. That was what he thought at least, as he found himself at the nearby local junkyard. The good news was his true destination was only a few blocks away. The bad news was...

...he was most definitely in danger.

* * *

"How often have you been using your powers lately?" His old friend, Gale, was a medical expert. He was local and knew the anatomy and physiology of demons, famous for curing even the most deadly of scourges all over hell. Without him, much of the city would be disease ridden. He was someone he trusted from long ago, and he never had need for his medical expertise; Alastor's healing factor was unusually high. His form came in one of a turtle, a cracked shell making this obvious. Also noticeable were his wrinkled features, having been down in the underworld longer than even Alastor himself. It was rumored that Gale was always sought out by long past legendary gangsters and was never harmed or threatened. He was simply too valuable to lose.

"As much as I always have in my entire life." There was almost never a single occasion where he did not use magic. It was obviously a huge part of him, and he was quite proficient to the point that he'd usually let everything autopilot. All he needed was a single thought, and he'd have what he want. Not only gifted with proficiency, he was also very resilient, being able to perform multiple, complex tasks consecutively without even needing a break.

The wise sage sighed, giving a soft tsk'ing sound as he examined the blood he had drawn. "No good. I told you long ago not to overuse your powers. You are a very special case in that it took you this long to finally become exhausted."

"I do not feel exhausted at all. Quite the opposite. Yet, I can't seem to control..." Alastor scowled as he tried to again simply create even a measly fireball in his hands. Only a spark erupted. His fist balled. "What is the cure?"

"Luckily for you, you did not overextend. All this calls for is..." Gale turned around from the examination table with a smile. "...some rest. Don't work yourself too hard, Alastor. Drink plenty of liquids, you know the general gist."

The news made the radio demon shake his head. "No. You know I cannot do that. Surely, there is some sort of..."

"Drug? Well, there are plenty. But if you wanted to do that, you wouldn't be here, would you?" The turtle was completely right. Alastor did not stoop to drugs, knowing that the pharmaceutical industry practically had no regulations, the standards being extremely low, if any, and that he couldn't risk the extreme side effects. It'd be more likely that he'd get himself killed than restore his magic. "Do you need some bodies around you? I can perhaps call some of my friends..."

"No." The deer stood up with a sigh, then extended his hand. "I appreciate your services, Gale." Gale seemed to understand, and shook his hand. Alastor did not trust any demons whatsoever to protect his life. Even moreso, hired goons. In this situation, any demon, even a brain-dead chicken, could easily take advantage of his predicament.

"Then, my last suggestion is perhaps getting some sort of firearm. Anything that can serve as self-defense without relying on your magic. If you keep using your magic in this state, you may lose it _forever_." The last thought made Alastor shudder.

"I will take that into consideration..." Leaving the building and once again retreating to a secluded spot, he grimaced. 'Guns? Anything but that...' He could not bear the thought of holding one, even if it meant protecting his life. Obviously, them being common all around the underworld, it did not bother him to see their usage. In fact, their continuing evolution and high utility impressed him. But he never considered using one himself. It seemed so... wrong. Probably because he was part deer.

"Focus. Focus on your destination." Clearing distractions from his head, he once again entered his shadows. Everything zoomed by quickly, and things seemed to be looking good as the images projected the hotel. All until he saw a familiar face, and where he'd land.

"Ooof! Ugh, gosh, what the hell...?!" Angel was toppled to the ground, making him squirm in pain. "I like it rough, but not that rough..." Looking to his side, however, he was delighted to see and feel his favorite demon laying across him. "Sugar... are you sure you're not turning a new leaf?"

"NOT ANOTHER WORD." Alastor boomed as he immediately stood up. "It's bad enough not having magic, but yo-" Immediate regret filled his face, and he took a step back. Angel Dust knew. Angel Dust, a demon most capable of dealing damage if he wished. He had let it slip in that fit of anger. "Not having magic? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Not another step. Stay back!" Like a deer in headlights, he stood still. As soon as he snapped out of it, he took the nearest object and held it as if he'd throw it. A flower vase.

"Holy shit, what the hell's going on? Calm down! I'm not going to hurt you!" The vase was thrown, but not being experienced with using this particular item as a weapon, at least while using his bare hands, Angel caught it easily. It was more of a toss, really. "Seriously! Relax!" The radio demon had lost composure as he breathed heavily, falling onto his rear. Before he knew it, he had fallen onto his side. He passed out.


	2. Chapter 2

Awakening, Alastor twisted and turned, giving a relaxed sigh. A few seconds later, he immediately sat up, remembering exactly what happened. Fearing a repeat of the previous hour, Angel spoke quickly. "Hey! Relax." He had been standing guard with a strawberry ice pop. "And no, before you freak out, I did not molest you in your sleep."

That was, in fact, the least of the deer's worries. Groaning, he rubbed his ears over the top once, placing his head on his knees. He could've died. Angel literally had the deer's life in his four hands. "You could've killed me if you wanted." Alastor even wondered if he actually was dead. Or, maybe this would be his last seconds alive, and Angel had secretly been waiting for this moment this whole time. Nothing else would've made sense.

The spider leaned further onto the wall and crossed a leg over the other, licking over his treat. "So?"

"What do you mean, 'so?' Have you not heard of the bounties? My territory could've been yours too, to boot."

Again, Angel looked unimpressed, giving a shrug. This utterly confused the deer. Surely, despite initially not knowing of the infamous radio demon, he'd hear of the prices placed on his head by now. He'd be on the newspapers sometimes. Angel went bounty hunting now and then, so he had to have known. "Yeah, I know. But, I'm... sort of rehabilitated. And..." That was a lie. Angel bit off the remaining piece of the ice treat and threw the stick in a nearby bin. "...I just don't feel like killing you."

It was the radio demon's turn to be unimpressed, figuring this was another one of Angel's flirts. "Please, flattery will not get you anywhere with me."

"Who said anything about getting anywhere? Honestly, the thought of killing you never crossed my mind." The two had spent much time together, and even though Alastor seemed to dislike him, the red devil had really grown on him. The man was mysterious, and their interactions always resulted in something interesting. The fact that the deer didn't want to jump him (though sometimes, he wish he would) and that he'd actually talk to him sometimes was pleasant and unheard of. "I... consider you a friend."

Alastor almost laughed out loud, instead reducing it to a small chortle. "You of all demons should know that there is no room for friendship here."

Angel gave a shrug, slightly disappointed. "Whatever. You've heard my end. Take it or leave it." This was as much as he expected, though. You don't befriend a demon like Alastor. Better yet, don't befriend any demons at all. You'd have more luck talking to a rock. "Anyways, I'm gonna go take a drink at the bar. Get well soon, whatever you're sick with." Angel left the room promptly. The deer looked on as the door closed. He was grateful that he was alive, but also felt a hint of... regret.

"Hm. I must be even more sick than I thought..."

* * *

"Give me some of that good shit, Husky." Angel casually sat across two bar stools, knowing no one would be using them except himself. Pulling out a cigarette, it was lit without request by the bartender.

"I told you not to call me that, asshole." Husk was very unamused. Then again, he always looked like he was. Though, over the period of a year, they were able to form a decent friendship, sharing a love for drinking and telling stories of the past.

"Fine, just give me whatever's good!" Finally, he was granted a drink, but was disappointed to see the labeling, recognizing it. "Ugh, more cheap booze... I swear, you're hoarding all the expensive stuff for yourself!"

At this, the cat finally cracked a smile, giving a hearty laugh. "Hey, just be glad you're getting any of this for free."

"Now to that, I can drink. To unlimited, free booze!" Before the bottle could be drank, however, a shot rang out, shattering glass in Angel's hand. He flinched, then was immediately annoyed, feeling the liquid on his leggings.

Husk gave a groan. "What a waste of good fuckin' booze..." Looking at the perpetrator, he recognized him quickly. A hotshot in the news making some small moves here and there, but slowly on the rise. He was also the son of the man he used to work for. "Jimmy Jives. You better have a good reason for wasting good drinks." Angel rotated what remained of the glass bottle and saw quite a few bodies with the aforementioned Jimmy in the reflection. By the looks of it, they weren't here for rehabilitation.

"Husky, my boy! Ya little pussy!" Jimmy laughed like a madman at his own pun, and his posse did as well. Jimmy was a well dressed rat. Checkered coat, white suit pants, clean, crocodile skinned shoes, and a slick pompadour. He dressed like a high roller and had the attitude as well.

Husk felt immediate fury, but Angel subtly shook his head. Of course, the bartender did not intend on following through. 12, or perhaps more, versus 2 were terrible betting odds, and it was a bad idea to shoot anyone well dressed without knowing who they were. In this case, Husk knew who he was. Still a bad idea. "What do you want, Jimmy? This isn't anyone's turf."

"On the contrary, my boy, it is. Hotel was built here without my consent..." Jimmy walked around the bar and played with a business card, fiddling with it, then flicked it away carelessly. "...and you know how I feel about people bargin' in on my territory, Husky." Husk did not answer this time as Jimmy walked closer. His crew remained behind, watching with grins, their sidearms put out visibly to intimidate. Some had bats, some had metal poles, some even had rifles. "The fuck is this shit? Youse a bartender now? What happened to the mob life?" Sitting next to Angel, he motioned for a drink. Husk hesitated, but a nod from Angel made him follow through. Jimmy noticed this. "And this... is this your new boyfriend now? Didn't take you for a fag." He laughed, and like drones, the goons laughed as well.

"We don't need any trouble here, Jimmy. This place is for people looking to change. And you know what, I didn't want change." The cat passed a drink to Jimmy. "But I want it now. I can start a new life. Maybe not... redemption, but I'm out of the family. I am out." Jimmy just grinned, looking at both Angel and Husk.

Angel looked incredibly disgusted, resisting the urge to drop the arrogant dickhead. 4 hands. 4 guns. 8 bullets each. But, he had to make it count; that is, if an opportunity would ever present itself. As it was, they were surrounded, and the only cover he could probably dive for was behind the counter. That would be suicide.

"You know what? I respect that. Youse out, and my father loved you like a brother. Okay, Husky. Sorry I got... antsy there." The bartender just gave a nod, and Jimmy lifted the glass, drinking it. "...but, there's something important I gotta do here."

"The hotel? I can't do anything about it-"

"Nah, not that. You can keep this place. I know you ain't the owner, and it ain't your fault that it was built on my shit." Husk nodded, and Angel relaxed slightly. Perhaps violence could be avoided, although the spider still wanted to blast a hole in the guy's head. "And I know ya ain't peddlin' hookers or... drugs, none of the sort. But there's someone livin' in this hotel. I've got a message for him."

The cat knew far too well what this truly meant. If the family wanted something, they'd probably get it. Their connections ran deep, reaching even the highest powers of the ladder. The rule of thumb was, you shouldn't interfere with family matters. His eye twitched, knowing exactly how this would have to go down. The question was, when? A message would be sent as precursor to something. More often than not, that something would be the recipient's demise. There was a long silence, everyone in the room quiet. Jimmy stared right into Husk's eyes as he reached into his suit pocket slowly. As expected, it was a letter. "Give that to him for me, will ya?"

Husk's heart was pounding from the adrenaline, yet he was as still as a statue. "...alright. You got it, Jimmy." He kept this way the entire time even as Jimmy walked away from the bar, his posses following shortly.

"Oh, and by the way... good to see you again, kid." Jimmy was directly facing the silent angel. Angel grimaced at this, not even looking at the rat. Only when the footsteps ended and the door closed for the last time were they able to breathe.

"Phew... thought we'd be having a shootout in the hotel."

"Charlie... definitely would not have approved!" Angel joked, and they shared a laugh for a moment. Then focus shifted to the letter. "So, what was that all about? Sounds like you're connected with him."

The bartender ran a hand up his face as he groaned, then nodded. "Yeah. Used to be. They picked me up off the streets when I was still a youngster. For that, I am thankful, but... things kinda went sideways after a while. Had to leave it all behind. That guy was my ex boss's son." He could remember everything like it was yesterday. The cat passed another drink to the spider, which was gladly accepted. "...he seems to know you too." Angel looked away to the side, hiding a frown that would otherwise be obvious.

"Yeah, well... I'm pretty famous."

Husk looked wide eyed, leaning onto the counter. "You... fucked him?"

Another bottle of booze was nearly wasted, Angel nearly spitting out the drink. "What?! Hell no!"

* * *

There was a knock on his door. Expecting it to be Angel, he shook his head, already feeling frustration. "Not today, Angel! Not today."

"Not Angel. It's me."

He was pleasantly surprised to hear the gruff voice, not expecting him. Truth be told, he needed to talk to someone. There was no helping it; he had to hire bodies around him. The only trustworthy person that came to mind was Husk. Although a single bodyguard would definitely not be enough, it was a start.

"Come in! It should be unlocked." Extending his palm towards the doorknob, he waited in anticipation. The handle simply rattled.

"Uh... it ain't unlocked." Alastor sighed, getting up to unlock it manually. The door clicked open, and he looked at Husk.

"...yes?"

"You look like absolute shit." Rolling his eyes, the cat was very surprised to see he had actually gotten a reaction. Alastor was not one to be expressive about emotions, typically unreadable with his trademark smile. "...something wrong?" If Alastor was showing anything other than coyness and a grin, something was definitely wrong. Hopefully it wasn't lumbago. That would be very serious.

Alastor sat down, and motioned for Husk to come sit on the opposite seat. "Close the door." Now he knew this was a very serious matter. Sitting across from the radio demon, he got comfortable. "I have news of my own to share to you. Please tell me this is... good. Give me something good."

The cat almost felt bad. Alastor looked unwell. Not physically ill, as he seemed to move just fine, but obviously stressed. "You got a letter."

"A letter? From who?"

Husk leaned in to give the letter, and hesitated to say who. Alastor still didn't know this was bad news. "...the Dellucci family."

The deer's hand stopped short of taking it as he absorbed the idea. "...the Dellucci family."

"...yep."

Silence.


	3. Chapter 3

**For those who are still sticking with the story:**

**Sorry for taking so long. I've been dealing with a lot of things. I got rejected twice in the same month, so you can imagine how awful I feel. On the bright side, I'm on vacation for a month so I can focus more on writing, and I have another RadioDust story I'll be working on soon. It'll be a one shot. Be on the lookout for that, if that's your thing. **

**For anyone who wants to chat with me and talk, you can catch me on discord at v48#5730. I've been wanting more friends to talk to. **

**I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's a particularly long one.**

* * *

Husk stayed put in his seat, watching Alastor pace back and forth. After going over the events of his magical exhaustion and the letter, the cat finally understood just exactly why the radio demon had been acting the way he was. It was a very unfortunate series of events, the stars aligning for the world to take him down, essentially. "They'll be hounding me any day now. Any hour. That damned mob... you know what they'll do. They'll... they'll... _dismantle_ me! And I can't do anything to stop it." He motioned with his hands and made a ripping motion in the air. "How could this happen...?!" Somehow, word had spread, letter indicative of this. Alastor thought back to when he went to Gale. Gale definitely wouldn't backstab him, never taking any side over the other. Whatever the case may be, it didn't even matter. "They're going to take everything. Years of progress... erased. My side of the city will most likely be..." He did not finish.

If the Dellucci family knew, then chances were that word had spread to many others as well. No question, he was the top priority on a number of hitlists, and this news would be cherished. Even rival gangs would unite for this one occasion. Alastor wasn't exactly the kind of demon to have others backing him and never aligned himself with any specific group, preferring to work alone. He was just that good. But now, the world had flipped upside down on him. Facing Husk, he stood rigidly, the atmosphere feeling tense. Alastor had finally stopped moving. Covering his mouth with a hand, he contemplated his next words. "I need you to do me a favor."

Husk sighed, having anticipated this. "Ah geez... I already told you." The deer waited for an explanation.

"If they see me with you, then we're both going down. No question. Who exactly do you think I am?" Husk motioned with his paws, and Alastor was as still as a statue, stuck in the same pose.

The two looked at each other for a while until fear came upon Alastor, as if what was said had finally sunk in. He could see Husk's hesitation in denying his offer. "Listen. Please. I have money. I can get you anything you need, if I get out of this alive. Unless I willingly turn myself to them... they're going to raze this hotel in a few days." He spoke softly, yet firmly. "...Please. I have no one else."

This made the cat think as he thought of not just Alastor, but also Charlie, Vaggie, and Angel. But at the same time, what could be done? It's not as if he had any pull on the strings behind the scenes, or was some kind of legendary hitman back in the day. "I'm sorry, but I'm finished. I am done with all the killing. You could take them on if you still had your magic. But not me, or any number of other demons. You'd have to hire a whole damn army."

The radio demon turned around, facing the window again. This situation was made even more desperate as the only one he'd trust to have his back had refused. But, he understood. Husk felt regret for the things he had done, and wanted to change. This could be his only opportunity, and he'd be risking it all. Threatening him wasn't an option either, only breeding dishonesty and betrayal... nor did he have the power to threaten him right now either. Even if Husk had said yes, what then? Dread filled Alastor more and more as Husk stood up to leave. Opening the door, he gave one last look. "I can't do it. But, I know someone who can probably help you. He's way better at shooting than me, that's for sure."

At this point, the desperate red devil was open to any suggestions. "Yes?"

"Well, you know him too. Try asking Angel." The deer was left to his thoughts as Husk left, the door closing with a resounding thump.

* * *

"So, he's looking for protection?" Angel's brow raised, imagining Alastor with a bunch of bodyguards. The thought didn't feel right. He was always off on his own and never needed any help. Despite looking the part of an evil mastermind with henchman, the deer was pretty much a one man army. There were exceptions like Husk and Niffty, but they were more like acquaintances and weren't there to protect them as far as he knew.

"Yep. But I can't do it for him. I'm done with all that. I just wanna die drinking and playing card games. No more of that killing shit... I've done enough of that for a hundred lifetimes." Husk took a swig of his bottle, the talk with Alastor having stressed him out even though he wasn't particularly affected. "Even if I wanted, what can I do? This cat's already used up his nine lives."

"Fair enough." The spider understood. At times, even he considered quitting. But, it was good money, and he enjoyed the rush. He had 4 arms to take advantage of, helpful with _many_ activities. Shooting in particular was one of them. He was practically made for it, his dominant spider DNA giving him an edge over most opponents. His reputation only backed this up. It'd be a waste to stop. "Well, I could offer my services to him, and more if he just asked." The implications of the last remark were made obvious as Angel licked his lips.

Husk rolled his eyes, knowing how that would usually go. "Yeah, well, it'd be best if you don't do that right now. The guy's already out of his mind as is. The last thing he needs to hear is another joke about blowjobs."

"I know." Angel cracked a knowing smile. "He's lost his magic for some reason, right? He told me about it when he fainted earlier." He almost laughed as he remembered how Alastor planned to use a flower vase as his defense. But, the situation was a lot more dire than he thought for him to make light of it.

"Yeah. He's gonna need some serious protection. Who knows how long it'll take until his magic is back, and he's not exactly Mr. Rogers in this neighborhood... won't be surprised if somebody tries him today." The opening of the front doors broke the train of thought, a couple of demons coming in. They had skipped the reception desk, looking like a rather rowdy bunch. Angel noted the weapons they had on them, packing a decent amount of heat. The biggest of them stepped forward, a bulldog with a large, rounded physique. By the looks of it, they were not seeking redemption.

"We've been hired to protect, uh... what was his name again?" Another one of them chimed in. "I think it was Astor. Errr... Aurora?"

"Close enough." Angel turned back to Husk, throwing his hands up. "Well, guess my help won't be needed."

Husk waved off the group, waiting to talk until all of them were gone. There was quite a number of them. "Looks like he took 'hiring an army' literally. Although... I thought he told me that he didn't want to hire randoms. I don't recognize any of them." This got him to think hard for a moment. Going to a nearby phone on the wall, he dialed up Alastor's room. It rang and rang, going unanswered. "Hmm..." Turning, Angel already knew what the bartender was thinking.

"...you think I should go check and see if everything's going well?"

The cat shrugged. "I dunno. Kind of strange that so many would show up now... he and I were talking just a few minutes ago."

That was enough evidence for him. Finishing up his own drink, Angel stood up, stretching his arms and cracking his knuckles. "You know what, I'm gonna go ahead and check. Juuust in case."

"Sure. I'll just be here with the booze." Husk laid back onto the counter, watching the spider disappear around a corner. Drinking some more, he gave a sigh, still feeling nervous for some reason. 'Something's not right here...'

* * *

"Perhaps... Angel..."

Another knocking on his door, Alastor was surprised, looking away from the window and to the door. "Husk?" However, from the shadows beneath the door, he could tell it definitely wasn't. Multiple figures moved outside, and there was another knocking. This time, it was more insistent. Adrenaline pumping, he jumped to his suitcase and took it quickly.

"Yeeeep! It's me! Husko! Your... uh... best friend!" The voice was not convincing in the slightest. "Wait, I don't think he would have any friends. NEVERMIND! Housekeeping!"

A ringing interrupted his thoughts, the old fashioned handle of the rotary phone rattling. He picked up quickly. "Hello?"

"Hey. Did you happen to hire... 20 or so demons in the past 10 minutes?" A louder, harsher knock pounded on the hotel door, loud enough that Husk should've heard on the other line. If he somehow didn't hear that, the door being forced open with a crunch was definitely audible, along with the steps of about a dozen, and the phone dropping. "Ah... well, shit."

Alastor let go of the phone and held his case in his hands, feeling the eyes on him as a number of demons surrounded him. He was practically a morsel to them; a sheep to a pack of wolves. Had his magic not been suspended, he could finish all of them right now. "You know why we're here, radio demon. Make it easy for us, will ya? You've been here for years... let us have our time too."

The deer continued backing up until he felt a fragile surface on his back, feeling like he could apply pressure. It was the window. "Hmm. I suppose that's fair! I give up."

"Really?"

Alastor grinned. "No." Crashing himself backwards, the window broke easily. Glass flying with him, he fell backwards and twisted midair, approaching the cement surface at a high speed. "Don't fail me now...!" Hands facing the ground, he hoped for a miracle, focusing his energy.

* * *

Looking outside of a window, Angel spotted a few vehicles pull up to the side of the hotel. As the people got out, they looked to be of the same crowd of the ones who just arrived. "Backup, huh..." A loud crash shook him out of his observation, glass shattering, then audible yelling from Alastor's room. There was definitely a commotion. "Looks like the hunch was right." Angel mused and immediately rushed up the steps to the radio demon's room, preparing himself for the worst.

"Shit, he jumped! Get outside now and grab the fucker! That's our money running away!"

"What about that Angel Dust? I saw him in the lobby!" One voiced was concerned, but the rest had already made up their mind on what to do, the sound of magazines loading and stomping.

"Whatever! Cap the fucker too if he gets in the way!" That sealed Angel's next course of action, quickly hiding in the alcove of a random room. Steps were approaching fast, and he held his breath, reaching into his suit pockets. Four pistols donned in each hand, he felt his heart skip with glee, the hairs on his back rising, and the corner's of his mouth lifting to form an excited smile. Angel's senses heightened, letting him know exactly how many of them there were in the room. It was at times like this that he was thankful he was reborn in hell as a spider. "It's time to get to work." Hands simply behind his back, he emerged and walked casually towards the disorganized meatheads with a confidence brought by experience.

"Goddamn it, I told you to fuckin' watch h-" The body fell unceremoniously as Angel shoved the gun forcefully into the goon's teeth, interrupting his speech. A bang echoed through the hallways, the other demons in the hallway stopping dead in their tracks as they saw the hole in the back of their friend's head. This moment of distraction would be the end of most of them, bullet after bullet firing, every single target double tapped for safety. Only one would remain, intentionally so, spared with a shot to the knee.

"Too easy..." Angel stepped over the bodies nonchalantly. "Talk about speaking of the devil, hm?"

"Fuck you!" The bulldog quickly aimed, but unfortunately, there was a vast overestimation of speed. His yell bounced through the hallways, his hand blown off, disarming him. "Shit... you t-took off my...!" Angel gave a nod as he reloaded his magazines slowly, taking his time as the wounded demon before him shook. "D-damn... the rumors were true. You're faster than any draw I've seen."

"Why thank you." Angel sighed in satisfaction as he got on one knee, getting close and personal. "You know how this goes. Who sent you?"

"Heh. Go and fuck your-"

The retort was shut down quick as Angel shoved the dog's head against the wall and slid a barrel under his chin. Their eyes met, an intense gaze meeting a panicking, scared one. "I can make this a hell of a lot more painful. Start talking, or I'll be forced to fuck up that pretty face of yours even more."

"Ok! Please... it was Dellucci... he's got the whole city u-up against Alastor. He's fucked..." The bulldog's terrified expression turned into a wild grin. "And you're fucked too! This... shitty hotel? He'll destroy it! HE'LL KILL YOU ALL!" Angel had heard enough.

_Bang!_

Angel didn't so much as blink as he pulled the trigger. Blood splattered against the wall, some of it getting on his clothes and face. Staying in this position, he thought deeply. "This will be a bloodbath..." Then, the broken window caught his attention. Alastor wasn't in the room, leading him to look outside. It was a pretty high fall, but there was no body, thankfully. "He must've jumped... good call though." Running back down to the lobby, he encountered a held up Husk, his arms raised as a demon hoodlum kept the cat at gunpoint.

"Excuse me, do you know where room service is?" Diverting the attention, Angel dropped him, blood and brain matter unfortunately staining the once clean and shiny counter. Husk closed his eyes and backed up in vain as some got on him, giving an annoyed grumble. "Damn! Could've given me warning!"

"Listen, there's no time. Are you going to die here, or live to drink another day?" Tossing the now dead hoodlum's gun to the cat, Angel grinned.

Husk wanted to protest, but seeing as more demons were bound to show up and they were bent on killing anyone in the hotel, target or not, it'd be best that he got moving as well. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"

* * *

Alastor had never run this much in his life. He gasped for air as he heard the steps behind him keep an even pace. Thankfully his magic was able to save him that one time earlier, but any further usage would be much exponentially dangerous. The only thing keeping him alive was his deer affinity. He didn't even know where he was going, only that the men after his life were right on his back, and that stopping would spell death; or worse. "This way! He went this way!" Legs feeling like they'd crumple, each step carried him slower, and with less distance. 'Me, of all people... to die running like a coward...' He cut across an alleyway, sloppily jumping over discarded boxes and trash. 'Just a little longer...!'

Turning a corner, he felt a hand grab him. Swinging his briefcase, he managed to nail the offender right on the face. Expecting to run again, he was met with even more of the gang. He was cornered. "Well. I've tried my best." The group surrounded him, making Alastor back up against the brick wall of the alleyway. "Now now, fellow demons! I'm sure we can work this out without violence..."

"On the contrary!" Looking up, a brief flash of white and pink breezed by from the rooftop, then landed squarely beside him. Hearing gurgling, he saw that the thug's neck had been crushed in with a heel.

Taking out his signature pistols, twirls around the fingers flashing flourish, the spider smirked. "Violence is going to solve this just fine!" The sudden burst of firing made Alastor duck down, his pursuers gunned down cleanly as their once already ugly faces somehow became even more ugly, holes of red decorating torsos and giving facial makeovers. With a single, sweeping spin, the pillars around them were knocked dead. Looking up, he saw the one who rescued him. The radio demon took a moment to rest, his hands on his knees. He had been saved by the one person he didn't think would come.

"Are you alright, hun?"

"I'm... I'm fine." Alastor was still in a daze, confused as to why Angel, of all people, would come to his rescue. He should've been finished right there. Yet here he was, staring at the spider with disbelief. He was alive.

"What's up?" Angel blinked, seeing a look Alastor had never given him. He couldn't read it.

The deer shook out of his stupor. "Ahem... nothing. I believe I should... ah. Thank you." This got the spider to smile, the radio demon looking away as he saw this. For some reason, he couldn't help but smile too.

"You're very welcome."

The sound of distant yelling definitely meant that wasn't all of them though. Another whole group was at the end of the alleyway, letting their presence known as they began shooting instantly. Pulling the deer with him behind a dumpster, the two both ducked, loud clanking as the metal box shielded them. "Ah, shit. Where the hell is..."

The sound of a car revving came from the other end. Barely fitting, a jet black coupe annihilated the polluted alleyway, running over all its obstacles. There were more than a few speedbumps, the car tumbling. "Right on time!" Angel took Alastor's hand and got out of the alleyway to make way, their transportation sliding out into the street with a screech. The deer and the spider immediately got into the passenger seat.

Husk stepped on the gas as soon as they were in, speeding away. Looking in his side mirror, he flinched as some shots popped off from behind, hitting the driver side mirror square. Pushing down Alastor into his lap, Angel fired back blindly, forcing their pursuers to stay back. Taking a second look and seeing no one in sight, Husk sighed, shaking his head. "What a mess. What the fuck have I got myself into..."

Angel in the meantime was carefree, caressing Alastor's hair in one hand, who was still covering his ears in fear. "Aw, look at him. He's so adorable like this!" Tempted, Angel pet over an ear, causing the deer to immediately shoot up. Now he was face to face with a beaming Angel. Out of context, it looked like Alastor was straddling Angel, but there was just no room to move. "Relax, Al'. We're safe."

Shifting uncomfortably, he had no choice but to sit on the spider's lap, looking out the window to avoid Angel's knowing look. The mischievous smile said it all. "...Could you have chosen an even worse vehicle, Husk?"

The complaint was ignored. "We're safe _for now_." Husk added as they headed to the freeway, speeding off from the city. "The hotel is fucked and we're going to be on the hitlist of every single fucking gang." There was a period of silence as the idea settled into Alastor and Angel's heads. Angel didn't seem to care, shrugging. Alastor on the other hand, could not say anything, the fact that he was on top of Angel forgotten. Even after escaping with his life, they were bound to hunt him, and by extension, Angel and Husk as well.

The spider simply rested his hands behind his head. "Oh well. It is what it is."

In anger, Husk turned to the spider. "Yeah, because fuck MY life, right?! Maybe you don't care about yours, but... shit, shit, SHIT!" He slammed the steering wheel with a single fist. "There goes my redemption..."

"Hey, just relax. Chances are, they haven't ID'ed you. For all they know, I forced you to drive at gunpoint."

Husk resisted the urge to take his anger out on his car again, running a hand through the top of his head. "Angel... do you have any idea who we're dealing with? If Dellucci sent them-"

_Riiiing!_

"Ah, sorry. Give me a second." Angel stuck out a single finger as if to say 'pause' and answered the call. "Heeeello?"

"ANGEL! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!" Even without speaker, the voice was heard clearly. It was Charlie. Typically, she'd never get mad. She'd just get disappointed kind of like how a puppy would react if they were denied attention. Obviously, today was different. "I poke my head out of the hotel for ONE freaking minute and fate shovels SHIT in my face! Have you seen the news?"

"Hey, I didn't do anything! Don't go pinning it all on me when you don't know the details! Listen, we've skipped town, and-"

"Oh, so you ditch us after you've screwed the hotel? Ohhhh, faaaaanTASTIC!"

"Get some sleep! Talk to you tomorrow! Byeeee!" With a beep, the three were saved from an intense lecture. "...well then." They all went silent for the next half an hour, their destination still unknown. Alastor's magic was temporarily gone. Husk had most likely thrown away his only chance at being free from the crime world. And Angel had come along for the ride.


	4. Chapter 4

"Mmm..."

Stirring.

"A-ahh... Al'..."

More stirring.

"N... not so..."

Finally, Alastor gathered the energy to open his eyes. He slept pretty well for being cramped up in a car. 'Hmm. I don't remember acquiring a pillow though...' He gripped it and was quite pleased with the texture, squeezing. Soft and firm in just the right places. Looking off to the side with one eye, he saw Husk was still driving.

Alastor yawned, still a little groggy. "I must ask how I came to be in possession of such a wonderful pillow. What brand is this?"

Hearing a moan, he looked up to the source of the noise, seeing the face of a red-cheeked, sleeping Angel. Finally, he realized what he was doing, his face buried deep in the spider's bosom, along with his hands resting on the form's hips. Removing himself quickly, he once again bumped his head on the roof. Looking back to Husk, the tiniest hint of amusement was visible on the cat's face.

"You slept like a fawn."

"And you saw _nothing_." Alastor glared as he blushed profusely, though both knew the threat was empty at this moment in time. Turning around, he did not recognize the area they were in. The city was no longer behind them. It also occurred to him that he didn't know where exactly they were headed. They never discussed beforehand, and he had fallen asleep. The drive was taking them hours.

Alastor's embarrassing moment was forgotten for now. "Where are we going?"

"Anyplace but the city. It'll be near impossible for them to search for you out here... we lay low, and once you're fully rested, we're good." Alastor gave a nod. It put his mind at ease to have someone like Husk on board. He was street smart and knew his way around. Although he did have an outburst earlier, he was typically level headed and knew the simple, easy solutions to a problem. He brought reliability and loyalty to the table. Something else was on Alastor's mind though as he leaned against the dashboard, and folded his arms together.

"I'm very thankful you're doing this. I'm sorry I had to drag you in."

Husk waved this off. "Hey. If there's anyone to blame here, it's me. Everyone knows once you're in, you never get out. Not without consequence." The deer remained silent after this. It was so final, but it was true. As if happy endings could exist in hell anyways. "We'll be stopping at a hotel soon. I know the guy, and we should be safe there. "

"Excellent..."

* * *

"We're here."

"Mm, finally." Angel finally rose and wrapped his arms around his captive prisoner who wasn't too resistant, though still squirmed, eyes narrowing.

"Angel, please. We have important business to attend to."

"Fine, fine..."

Surprisingly, the hotel wasn't some beat up place like Alastor had imagined. It was definitely top of the line, the outside of the gigantic building enough to determine as much. Lights shone out into the sky, and many vehicles surrounded it. The pillars were made of a shiny silver and took inspiration from Greek architecture. It was an accomplishment of combining modern technology and classic design. In big, golden letters, the name was spelled for everyone to see. Pulling up to the front, there was a red carpet. The three stepped out, Husk handing the keys to a valet.

"Madness Palace. I've heard many things about this place." Alastor took a moment to admire the design of it all. Casual conversation filled the air, devoid of the annoying yelling, screaming, and obnoxious tones from the city were present. This must've been an area untouched by gangs; or at least, they were more civilized. Angel's eyes seemed to shimmer as he spotted the bar, but decided against it. He had a job to do. Separation would be easy, the crowd around them being a double edged sword if someone decided to attack.

"Ironic name." Alastor remarked, still looking left and right with curiosity. It seemed no one recognized him, or at the very least, there were too many demons to keep track of.

"Mhm. Anyways, we need to get you that personal protection."

"Protection? I can't trust anyone from here. I thought we were here to rest?"

"Just follow me. I'm not talking about hiring. We are here to stay for a while though."

The three entered the building and easily blended in, barely any breathing room; it was jam packed. Husk led the way to a backdoor guarded by a bouncer, the burly muscle blocked the way with both his size and a stare. He recognized the cat however, and stepped aside. Before they could go in all the way, the lion spoke. "You workin' again?"

"Afraid so. Hopefully it'll be a temporary return."

The lion said no more and let them on their way.

The guarded hallway led to just one door. It was the manager's office, indicated in bold, black letters. It was noticeably a very minimalist room as they entered, the only furniture being a desk a man was sitting behind, and the chair of course. It was another cat. Upon closer inspection, the two felines looked similar. Most striking were the marks on their ears. The fatter cat was counting bills and smoking a cigar, flipping through a large sum.

"Let me do the talking here." Husk looked to the two, then stepped forward alone.

Finishing the stack of cash he was counting, he dropped it, then looked up with a squint. "Haven't seen you in a while. And Angel Dust..." His voice was rough and low, just like Husk's. The last name was spoken with a tinge of annoyance, his voice turning even more monotone.

"Yours truly." Angel replied smoothly, winking.

Looking to the middle, his eyes twinkled with interest. "And last but definitely not least, the radio demon..." The deer's minder taking notice of this, and took a step closer to Alastor. "This is quite the gang. What brings you to my hotel?"

"We need guns."

"Hmm, okay. Let's see the money."

Snapping his fingers, Alastor's suitcase appeared right on the desk, some smoke covering it briefly as it came into existence. The code dialed itself in, opening. The manager's eyes were wide as saucers as he looked inside.

"Just don't let me smell fear on you." The fatter pulled something from under the his table. The surrounding, blank gray walls shifted and twisted. Lo and behold, walls of firearms appeared. Ammunition, armor, guns of every caliber revealed themselves. "Fear will be for the enemy after you leave this room. I guarantee you that ANYTHING from these walls are bound to fix what's bothering you. Take as much as you need."

Alastor gestured to both of them, and Angel happily obliged. "Candy store for adults..."

As he did, Husk turned to Alastor. "This is what I meant by protection."

"Indeed. I'll leave it to both of you then."

"That's not it. Listen, I know we're your bodyguards now. But..." Grimacing, Husk paused. "Let's say Angel and I die. The odds aren't exactly good here. You're going to need to be able to take care of yourself if that happens."

Alastor was quiet as Husk walked away towards the opposite side of the room. Eyeing the seemingly endless selection, he spotted rifles, shotguns, explosives; anything a gun nut could think of. Yet, he had no idea what to even consider taking. He had never wielded a gun in his life. An uncomfortable feeling settled upon him as he eyed a hunting rifle, a shiver crawling up his spine. Seeing as he definitely needed to get something, he settled on something he'd see often in the news. It surely looked well designed with its wood finishes and unique shape. The drum barrel at the bottom was easily recognizable. But, it also looked a pretty complicated. Looking around some more, he looked to where Husk was. He was right next to the rifles, feeling out a double barrel. Alastor definitely wouldn't be taking one of those. Then, he looked at angel, who was already looking at him.

"You've never used a gun before, I'm guessing?"

Alastor shook his head no, almost feeling embarrassed. "I never had the need for one. Not until now."

"Hmm. Well, want my recommendation?" Blushing lightly, the radio demon gave a single nod. It hurt his pride to ask for help. He had already broken down in front of Husk, but he felt especially sensitive now. This was Angel he was speaking with.

"Here. Tell me how it feels."

Catching a small revolver, Alastor held it awkwardly. His arms were limp, and he pointed at a wall in a mock stance. "...it's light."

"Yep. They call the .32 a woman's gun, but they're not going to be insulting you when they've got a bullet lodged in their skull. But I gotta say... that is a terrible stance." Angel went behind him and pushed his arms straight up, and adjusted his shoulders. Alastor stiffened at the touch.

"What are you...?" Feeling the hands grab him more, his cheeks flared an even deeper red.

"Relax. You wanna be loose when you shoot. Now, one foot slightly above the other, and... perfect." Circling the deer, he nodded to himself. "Don't try what you've seen me do at home. Not until you've mastered shooting normally."

"I see... thank you." As Angel walked away, Alastor watched, feeling a strange feeling welling within his stomach and chest. Looking to where Husk was, changing focus, he noticed someone else's eyes; the manager. The manager seemed to be thinking of something. The deer held his breath, staring back with the same intensity.

"Alright, we're all done here. We'll be on our way." Husk announced, finished as well. The three proceeded to head towards the exit; the only door in the room. The sound of a slide being pulled back stopped them in their tracks. Alastor slowly turned around.

"So. The radio demon is buying guns for his crew not just for them, but for himself too."

"...so what if that is the case?"

"I've heard many stories about you. About how you killed a hundred demons without so much as breaking a sweat. And not with bullets either... magic."

Alastor was silent, just staring into the fat cat's eyes. Angel and Husk looked at each other for a brief moment, but a hand from the deer told them to stay back.

"What I'm trying to figure out is... why the hell you'd need a piece?"

The adrenaline kicked in. 'Don't freeze.' Alastor told himself, his eyes wide, and his grin splayed. His hand hovered beside his hip, knowing where his pistol was. The two noticed this and suddenly felt nervous.

"This is a bad move." Husk whispered, but his warning was ignored.

Alastor's arm shifted up, and two shots sounded in succession.


	5. Chapter 5

"Well, so much for that plan." Angel leaned his head against the passenger side window and threw the brochure he had picked up along the way, watching it fly away with the wind.

"What a damn disaster. Don't you _ever_ pull something like that again!" Husk chastised Alastor and looked at him, seeing the latter staring out the window.

"Hey, come on. Go easy on him." The spider knew Alastor had been all weird ever since the loss of his magic. "He's got more than enough to think about."

Ever since what happened in the so called palace, he had been completely silent. His mind was going through so many things that he didn't know how to feel. He couldn't muster his grin, his mind collapsing as he replayed the event over and over again.

* * *

His eyes were wide. He had pulled the trigger, and he had not felt a single thing afterwards. It took a while until he could finally process what had happened, mind numbed like he had been dipped into ice. Vision, hearing, and sense of touch were blotted. He took a deep breath. The cat who shot at him had fallen into a deep sleep, though the eyes were wide open in shock. The hole between those prominent eyes gave deep slumber.

"It looks like I've gotta teach you from the very basics..." Angel blew off the smoke coming off the top of his pistol. "...you need to load it before it can fire."

"Shit, Alastor. SHIT!" Husk was finally in motion, clearly shook by what just happened. Leaving behind the deer, he looked outside and saw that most demons were evacuating, but there were some fighting in the opposite direction clad in suits. Seeing as they weren't headed directly for then though, they must had not known what exactly had happened or where.

"We've got to get moving before they piece it together." Angel was a step ahead and had to pull the deer just to get him to move.

"I..." Alastor couldn't find the words as he was dragged through the crowd, headed towards the exit.

* * *

The rest of what happened was but a blur. Pointless memories of being dragged and protected once again. He knew this was very natural. This was the point of hiring a bodyguard; to be protected, and have things be done for him. Yet, something in his mind blocked this truth. He shoved the thought away and struggled with this idea, fist clenched in his lap.

Angel noticed Alastor in the side mirror and sighed to himself. The spider had some of his own stress in his mind, though nowhere near the deer's obvious mental breakdown. "Listen... you're alive, and that's all that matters at the end of the day. Stop freakin' out... you're making me worried for nothing too."

Husk glanced at the rear view to look at Alastor. His eyes were sharp, and the radio demon knew the meaning behind them. The cat was agreeing. Even with this 'forgive and let go' mentality, Alastor still felt the guilt. Yes, his life was at stake. But he also worried for the two demons. Besides that, his pride was in the way, not letting him say what he wanted to say. It was all so backwards. Exhaling audibly, he slumped his posture.

'I really shouldn't care. They're the ones who accepted this responsibility...'

"Look on the bright side. We've got a nicer car, and now you won't accidentally molest Angel while you sleep."

Angel's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

"Husk, another word out of you and I will use whatever magic I have left to stab you."

At this, the cat smiled, finally getting something. They drove for hours, moving even further beyond where the city was. At this point, even Husk didn't know where they were going. He had plenty of other connections, but at this point, could they risk trying to get help from any of them? All he knew was, he had to keep driving. The further they were, the better their chances. News of this little expedition to the famous Madness Palace would come fast. After all, they had blown the whole place up.

_Ring! Ring!_

"Ah, shit. It's Charlie... everyone, prepare yourselves." Husk grunted as Alastor continued to space out.

"Heya, Charlie! How's it going?" The spider recoiled and held the phone away from his face, prepared to hear an earful. But, there wasn't any outburst.

"Oh, I didn't put it on speaker."

Again, there was nothing, the only noise heard being the car's engine, and a faint noise that sounded like breathing.

"...Charlie?"

"Angel, my boy. Make sure Alastor can hear this." The voice was familiar, but it definitely wasn't Charlie. The trio's attention was immediately hooked. "...Charlie Magne and... whoever the fuck this girl is, is in our possession."

Angel shot back immediately. "You motherfucker. Neither of them have anything to do with this!"

"Shut up. Put Alastor on the fuckin' phone." Before Angel could say anything, a scream enveloped the inside of the car. Now this, was Charlie. Immediately complying, the phone was handed to the radio demon. Hesitantly, he took it.

"...yes?" Alastor felt his chest throb with anxiety again, almost shivering.

"Ya know, all of this could've been avoided. All of this."

The deer was silent as every word sunk in. It was true. Every single event up until now could've been avoided. Not only had he endangered himself, but he had also endangered the only demons he cared for. Of course, he never thought of them as friends before. He hated to admit it to himself, but now, he felt the pressure. He was feeling emotions he had never bothered with when he had the power to outright ignore them. All obstacles in his way were crushed by his hand; by his will. But now, he was pathetic. Nothing more than a weak, powerless shrub of a demon. In his selfishness, he had let his friends get involved.

"You shoulda turned yourself in when you had the chance." There was a loud slam, and a second scream sounded. It was Vaggie. Alastor's hold on the phone trembled. "Do you want me to stop? Do you even care, radio demon?"

Another series of slams were heard, and his eyes shot wide. "STOP!"

"Tell me that you care! Tell me that you TRULY FEEL!"

"I CARE!" There was no hesitation as Alastor gripped the phone in two hands and yelled into it. The slamming stopped. "They're... they're..."

"Friends? Caro, oh caro(*)... the radio demon has a heart. How fuckin' _hilarious_." The laughter hit Alastor like a train. He was being made to be a joke, and he couldn't do a single thing about it.

"...anyways. I ain't got the time to keep talkin' with ya. Ya know _exactly_ what ya have to do. Luckily, the boss is considerate enough to give ya time to get your ass back down here. You've got a week, or they'll both be sleepin' with the fishes."

_Click._

* * *

"We'll take a room for three, thanks." The demon up front didn't recognize Husk, as he shouldn't. Giving a nod of thanks and leaving money on the reception desk, Husk took the keys. This motel was cheap, and probably would be one of the last places anyone would ambush them. An ambush would be unlikely anyways, considering they were now given a week's time to return.

Going out into the parking lot, he saw that Alastor hadn't moved from his seat, still in the car. Angel was making 'come out' motions at the window, and the deer was motionless, looking braindead. The cat groaned. The last thing he needed now was a drama queen.

"...seriously, come on. This place is safe! And if it isn't, I would've been shot by now!" The spider held his arms up and walked around to the front of the car. "See? Not a hole on me!"

Still, the deer refused to move, barely acknowledging Angel. Husk got Angel's attention with an even louder groan. "I'm going to our room. It's number 48... I'll let you deal with this bullshit. Fuck me, I need a drink."

"Yeah, sure. Get me something too."

"Whatever."

As Husk walked away nonchalantly, Angel turned back to the deer. "Alastor, babe! Come on, you're going to die of heat exhaustion in there."

An hour would pass as Angel tried in vain to get the deer to come out. Not being able to do anything but wait, the spider resorted to sitting against a rear tire. Somebody had to keep watch. Upon hearing the door finally click open, he immediately sat up, coming face to face with the radio demon. As much as he wanted to be pissed at him for making him wait that long, he couldn't. The very definition of Alastor's face was stress. He looked like he hadn't slept, and he was breathing somewhat heavily. Maybe it was the heat, but Angel wouldn't be surprised if it was the thoughts racing in his head. His bright red eyes seemed lifeless, and most of all, he wasn't smiling. The whole ride, Alastor hadn't smiled. But seeing something face to face was different. It was disturbing, to say the least.

"You... you ok?"

"...let's go get something to eat." This was the last thing Angel had expected to hear.

"Uh... sure."

Alastor simply walked past, and they both went onto the side walk. It was a very small town with a name that sounded silly. Demon folk walked past and on the other side of the street, but they did not get any funny glances. Crossing the street, there was a small diner.

"...is this a date?" Angel joked with a giggle. At this, Alastor actually dropped a hint of a smile, making the former blush a little. The diner had a few customers, but was far from busy. They were seated promptly in a booth.

"I'll have whatever special of the day you're serving." Alastor spoke to the waiter quietly.

"I'll just have the same, thanks." Angel looked to the waiter briefly, then back to Alastor again, who was looking out the window. It was a nice view of the blood ocean, and a setting sun. Their food and drinks would arrive a few minutes later.

"Hmm... pretty good." The spider tried to engage in small talk, smiling as he took in a forkful of meatloaf.

"Indeed."

The rest of their meal was silent though. Alastor paid for the two of them, and they were off again. By this time, it was evening. It was a peaceful little town. Distinct small chatter was in the air, along with a gentle breeze. The ocean waved and brushed soundly, accompanying their steps on the concrete. They walked side by side.

"I'm sorry, Angel."

Angel looked next to him and shook his head almost immediately.

"Hey, I already told you..."

"I know what you told me." Alastor snapped with a look that was serious, and concentrated. "But ...I messed it all up. For me, for you... for Husk... everyone. Charlie and Vaggie should never have been involved. I let my... pride ruin everything."

Angel frowned. "Look... you're in deep shit. Everyone gets into deep shit... even the radio demon."

The corners of Alastor's lips pursed. "And I just... can't believe it. Without my magic, I'm useless."

"Al, don't be so dramatic..."

Angel tried to think of something else to say, but couldn't find anything. However, looking towards the shore again, something else caught his attention. There was a mild popping. Familiar. Then, he saw the sign.

* * *

"Think of it as an extension of you. Just like your magic, it's part of you." Angel wrapped his arms around Alastor and remembered how he reacted last time, bracing himself for a squirm. But this time, Alastor stayed still. Angel smiled.

"Just... relax. I know it's in your deer DNA or whatever, but you gotta keep yourself from freaking out."

Alastor nodded and kept the stance he was put in, pointing at the paper target. Relaxing his breathing, focusing on the center, and bracing himself for the recoil, he pulled the trigger.

_Bang!_

"Alright! Not bad, not bad."

A splotch was now just a little right to the center dot. At this, Alastor seemed to glow a bit. Angel had spotted a shooting range and decided it'd be a good idea to do a crash course on the basics of wielding his new firearm. Slowly, he began to absorb the knowledge Angel presented to him. It really wasn't as scary as he thought it'd be, initially afraid of freezing up again or somehow messing something up. But, he was getting somewhere now. Target after target, he was getting more comfortable with the recoil.

"You have the instincts already! All you need to do is apply yourself, really." Angel concluded as they finished up their last target. Alastor hadn't realized it, but they had been together for hours. It was closing time now. Leaving the range, Angel noticed the radio demon looked much better now. He was even smiling.

"Now if I get shot, you'll know what to do." Angel laughed and kept walking, but noticed only his footsteps where there. Turning back, he saw Alastor looking down, dead in his tracks. In the night, his face wasn't visible.

"...Al?"

He walked back to him, and finally saw. Alastor was crying.

"Do not... say things like that."

The spider exhaled sharply. "Al, it's fine. As a bodyguard... I put my life on the line, you know?" Angel rubbed Alastor's shoulder, then nudged playfully. "What, next thing you're gonna tell me is you'll miss me if I die?"

Alastor sighed, wiping his sleeve over his eyes. "I... really hope it doesn't come to that, Angel Dust."

There was a brief silence. Alastor's red eyes seemed to glow as he looked right into Angel's eyes. Abruptly, he started walking again, leaving a somewhat stunned Angel to trail behind. As they walked through the moonlight, the wind turned colder, and the chatter died down. The waves continued to brush, giving a soothing environment never felt in the city.

'I truly hope it doesn't.'

* * *

"Geez, I thought you two were dead! Next time, give me a heads up at least." Husk was watching television, bottle in hand.

"Yeah yeah, whatever ya old coot. We brought you takeout." Angel placed the plastic bag onto a tabletop next to the cat. Alastor, upon walking in simply gave a nod to Husk, giving a small grin, before reserving back into his smile.

"Eugh. I hope you get back to grinning soon, because it'll be a loooong time before I get used to that."

"Heh. Soon." As Alastor went into the restroom to wash up, Angel and Husk shared a glance, the former giving a wink.

"He'll be fine. The past days have just been... rough on him. Imagine being one of the heads of hell, then suddenly getting toppled in a matter of days."

"Yeah... and now we gotta bail out Charlie and Vaggie too. What a mess."

"We'll figure it out. The family's gotta deal with Husko and yours truly."

"Hmph. Would've needed all nine lives for this one." With a sigh, he opened up the bag he received and was pleased to find a steak with a side of mashed potatoes. "Ah, haven't had this in a while..."

After a few more minutes, Alastor came out of the bathroom looking as sharp as he usually was. Notably, his suit that was earlier battered and cut in places was now back in pristine condition. Just like new. He was certainly a huge improvement from earlier.

"Feeling any better?" Angel asked, hoping this wasn't just all show.

"Yes, much better... thanks to you." Husk's ears pointed up at this, looking over to the two share a smile.

As it was very late, the three eventually went to bed, Husk taking one of the beds for himself, and Alastor already on the other. Yawning, Husk stretched out and pulled a blanket over himself.

"Wake me up if I oversleep... I don't want to miss the free breakfast."

Alastor's eyes were already closed. Asleep already, Angel surmised. He thought about sneaking into the bed and imagining the surprise on the deer's face, but decided against it in the end. Recalling the afternoon and evening they shared, the spider didn't want to ruin it all by being weird.

'I actually enjoyed today.' Grabbing two spare blankets from the closet, he decided to lay between the beds, beginning to place one down to act as a sheet.

"What are you doing?" Angel was a little startled to see Alastor awake.

"Just setting up my bed. Go back to sleep."

Alastor simply opened his blanket with a hand, flipping it so the space next to him was open. Angel looked at him weirdly, unsure what was implied.

"...I don't want you to sleep on the floor."

"I mean... are you sure?"

"Just don't try anything." Alastor said with a half huff.

"Oh please. I've got _some_ standards, you know."

Angel got into the bed slowly, not wanting to look too eager, or accidentally bump into the deer. Inside though, he was quite excited. It seemed he was starting to get on the radio demon's good side... getting him to see him as a friend.

'Or maybe...' Angel was facing away and put a finger on his lips, his thoughts wandering somewhere more deep. Then, perhaps a little more lecherous. But, this was all wishful thinking. Being friends was perfectly fine.

"Goodnight, Angel Dust." The voice startled Angel again.

"Wha? I mean... yeah, goodnight." Angel was facing away. If he wasn't, Alastor would've seen the deeply satisfied smile on Angel's face.

Getting comfortable, feeling Alastor's presence behind him, he fell into sleep's embrace quickly. He dreamt peacefully, remembering the past days. The incident of touching, Alastor accidentally landing on him, saving him twice, and most vivid of all, today. It seemed to past by in an instant as he opened his eyes. His eyes weren't heavy, and they opened as if he had just been awake seconds ago. The light peeked through the curtains, and the clock read morning.

"...am I still dreaming?" Angel wondered softly to himself as he felt two arms around him, and the faint sensation of breath down his neck.

**Your feedback/reviews would be very much appreciated.**

**(*) My, oh my... **


	6. Chapter 6

"You've heard the news, haven't you?"

"Nope. What have they been saying about us?"

Husk drank the steaming hot mug of joe with an audible slurp, looking out of the lobby's window. It was early in the morning, the sun barely peaking out of the horizon of the ocean outside. "The whole city's pretty much against us. His ties extend even to the media."

"I should've expected it." Angel placed his legs up onto the table in a relaxed pose. "But, I think destroying the palace would've been a bad look for anyone anyways."

The two finished their respective breakfasts. The hotel had given the basics; eggs, cereal, bagels, and coffee. It wasn't bad for their total boarding costs.

As Husk emptied his mug, he spoke up. "Do we have a plan?"

"To be honest, I was going to ask you the same thing..." Angel threw his hands up, but his tone indicated he was joking. "Yeah, I think I've got something. But it's going to be pretty ballsy."

"We should probably discuss it with him. Speaking of... you two seem..."

Husk didn't finish the thought, not wanting to sound prying. It wasn't any of his business, and it'd be awkward to ask directly. But, it did interest him. Angel smiled, as if he knew exactly what he was trying to ask.

"It's been crazy these past days, huh?" Rising up from his seat, Angel stretched his arms, starting to walk away. "I'll go wake him up. He'll miss the food."

* * *

Leaving the lobby and heading to their hotel room, he unlocked the door. Looking at the caterpillar-like shape that was still present on the bed, he grinned, closing the door behind him, then slid beside Alastor. Face to face, he felt his smile widen even more, imagining how he'd react upon waking up.

"Wakey wakey, sleepy deer."

Alastor groaned, twisting in place, and to Angel's surprise, was pulled closer. His eyes were still closed. Clearly, he was deeply asleep, murmuring unintelligibly. Angel didn't object though, rather enjoying the feeling of being held by him. That grin was still on his face even during sleep. For a while, he just watched, seeing his chest rise up and down with that peaceful, satisfied look on his face.

He then remembered how he woke up this morning. How Alastor had nuzzled into his neck, and wrapped his arms around his waist. That soft breath upon his cheek, and faint nuzzling. It was heavenly... how he wished it was more than just coincidence.

"Mmm, fluff."

"...huh?"

Suddenly, Alastor's one hand made its way straight onto Angel's chest, making him blush. If that wasn't enough, the hand closed rather tightly, squeezing onto a breast. Eyes widening, Angel covered his mouth, almost moaning out loud. He muffled it into a breath, then looked behind him, making sure that Husk wasn't here to see this. He had closed the door of course, but he wanted to make sure. Indeed, no one was there... and Alastor had no restraint on grabbing the soft object more in his sleep, his smile seemingly widening.

"Soft pillow... regal, soft pillow..."

"Nnn... not a pillow, but... close enough..."

Angel was enjoying this a little too much, but hey, he wasn't the one who initiated it. Getting an idea, he took Alastor's other hand, placing it on his other breast. Surprisingly, this worked, the groping now doubling. Grinning to himself, he thought himself a genius, his upper hands moving over to Alastor's shoulders, and the lower ones sliding over his hips.

"Ohh, yeah... use these pillows, Al'..."

Angel couldn't help it; he didn't usually go this long without sex, and with all the stress he had been dealing with, this was what he needed. His eyes closing, he lost thought of all the risk and possibilities he was undertaking, too turned on to think straight.

"Angel."

At this, his heart jumped, and he let go of the other's hands. Opening his eyes, he saw what he feared most: the wide open, awake eyes of Alastor. In a jolt, he slipped off the bed with an audible thud, then scrambled up.

"Shit... uh..." There really was no way he could explain himself. It didn't help that his boner wasn't hiding itself well within his pants, though thankfully, it seemed to go unnoticed. In fact, Alastor seemed to be indifferent, not even a hint of anger or disgust. Angel's mouth was agape, feeling like something should be said.

"...let's forget that happened." Alastor rose up, stretching his arms out, he walked past, going to the bathroom. "Next time try asking."

"Uhh, yeah, let's forget... wait, what?"

The sound of running water answered, and Angel just stared at the open doorway. Had he heard him right?

"Did I miss breakfast?" Alastor called out, causing Angel to shake his head. He definitely misheard.

"Nope. I came here to wake you up for that... before I..."

Alastor came out fully freshened, not even taking a minute and already sharp. His face remained neutral as he adjusted his bow tie.

"Right. Let's... go then." Smoothing his thumb over his fingers back and forth a moment, he held out a hand, his palm facing out.

Without even thinking of it, Angel took his hand, rising up from the bed. Blushing lightly, he avoided Alastor's eyes, though the latter was doing the same. Shadows enveloping them, they were at the lobby in an instant.

"I... wanted to get here as fast as possible so as to not miss anything." Alastor turned around after gently pulling his hand away. If he were being honest to himself, he could've asked Angel to just place a hand on his shoulder. But wouldn't that be just as awkward? Catching himself in these thoughts, he felt a chill run up his spine. He was overthinking it all. After all, Angel was practically making him grab his boobs. It probably pleased Angel. But, when were Angel's feelings ever relevant?

"Yeah, gotcha. Have... fun?" Angel scurried away as he mentally screamed, the last bit added in an attempt to form some closure, but instead making him look like a complete idiot. 'Why the fuck did I say that?! Shit!' Practically zooming to Husk, he sat down, still cringing.

Husk raised an eyebrow, placing down his mug after taking a gulp. "What the hell's with that look on your face?"

"Ahah... you probably don't want to know." Angel had to laugh at himself, but once again cringed as he heard the chair next to him move, and a plate of food clatter onto the table. Alastor hadn't taken long to get his food.

Husk looked at Angel make yet another weird face, looking to Alastor. As for the deer, he seemed uncharacteristically... observant. Or, was it nervousness? Rolling his eyes, the cat decided it was none of his business. Though, if his guess was right, he'd be somewhat surprised, even with the situation he had observed the two in this morning considered.

"So... what did you get?" Angel opened up and leaned onto an elbow.

"...a sandwich." Alastor lifted it with both hands, though not before placing a napkin across his lap.

"Ah... nice choice." This was about the worst small talk he could ever come up with. But it wasn't his fault; he never flirted in the traditional sense, and Alastor... well, he genuinely liked him. Now that was a first. And now, it looked like he had a chance of getting Alastor's attention too. It was all getting to his head. 'You're losing his attention, Angel! Think of something interesting!'

"So, are you two together now?" Husk asked, cutting into the conversation bluntly as he took the last bite of his bagel. Angel almost banged his fist into the table, shaking his head quickly.

"N... no! Haha, nice joke, Husk! The hell are you on about?" Angel was blushing really, really hard though.

On the other side, Alastor nearly choked, going for his glass of water to swallow down a rather large bite taken. "No! Dear Lucifer, no. We're... ahem, we're not together."

"Hmm... I see." Rising up, he took his plate and mug with him, having finished his meal. He smiled as he turned around, walking away. Angel was blushing. And Alastor was too.

There was a long pause as they watched Husk leave. Alastor began to eat his food, slowly, and didn't say a single word, his eyes glued to his plate. He felt so defensive, weird, and jittery. What Husk had asked was such a simple question. Why did it make him feel so... targeted?

Angel just looked off to another side, his cheek rested on his hand. There was no saving it now. Everything had gone as wrong as it could have gone. Glancing now and then, he watched Alastor's unreadable face. Usually, he'd at least have a hint of a smile. But there was nothing. 'Well... so much for possibility.'

"...I'd like to go down to the shooting range again later."

Angel nodded, finally looking at him directly again. Alastor was still looking only at his food. "Sounds good. Make sure to just remember what I taught you."

"I want you to come with me too. Later... we'll have lunch, then... you know." Alastor looked into Angel's eyes for a second, then away again, his hands now resting on his lap. He was shifting slightly as he waited for a response. But, it took while for Angel to say something, who seemed to be thinking really hard.

"Is... something wrong?"

"No, no! Yeah, I'll come with. I just thought you'd want to be alone. Especially with... everything that happened today so far." Angel nervously laughed. It really was a disaster. From making Alastor grab his chest, to the weird comment before breakfast, and Husk's accusation, it was all a recipe for failure.

"Ah. Well... I've been feeling strange today too, it seems." He usually made it a point to look at someone in the eyes. It was respectful, and assumed confidence, and power. Up until this point, with any demon, it was really easy. But he couldn't bear to look at Angel. It felt wrong in a sense, and his face would just heat up.

"I think I might still be sick... though as you saw, my control over my magic has been returning bit by bit."

"Yep. Sounds good... speaking of, we need to talk about something important." Angel's tone shifted noticeably, and Alastor looked up, seeing his lips crease. "When we return."

* * *

Alastor paced in front of their room's window, looking out. He had listened to the two, thinking through every single detail and action they had laid out. He imagined, looking at the red sky, seeing it all play in motion.

"So... what do you think?" Husk asked with a cigar in his mouth. He had started smoking as soon as he and Angel had started to explain. He was feeling stressed just from telling.

Alastor paused, then looked at both at them carefully, as if he was waiting for a punchline. "It sounds insane."

"It is. But if you look at it all... what choice do we really have?" The smoother voice replied.

Alastor turned towards Angel and Husk now, shaking his head. "Well, from what it sounds like, both of you are going to kill yourselves for me!"

"Well... pretty sure that's what a bodyguard does, Al'." Angel sighed as he laid on a bed, a knee up so his hands could rest on it. "Honestly, I don't see a single way all of us get out of this alive. But if we run this play... you'll definitely live."

Husk could only agree, nodding as he puffed smoke into the air. "Yep. It is what it is."

"Don't..." Alastor jabbed a finger at him threateningly, remembering the letter he received. "...you _dare_ say that. My magic has been returning. Maybe in these few days time, I'll be back to one hundred percent... and then I can handle this all by myself."

"Al', you literally teleported us into a dumpster after breakfast." Angel recalled from just about a half hour ago.

"...Angel. Positivity." Again, pacing, he tried to think harder. "There is a way. There has to be a way."

"Feel free to let us know if you do think of something. But just know... if you don't, it's fine." Husk looked at Angel, and they both shared the same look. They both knew. "Me and Angel knew things we're going to get messy."

"It is _not_ fine, Husk." Stopping, Alastor turned towards the door. Opening it quickly, he barely paused.

"I'm going to get a breath of fresh air.." Not waiting, he started out, shaking his head to himself. "

"Al'! Hey, wait up!" Angel took off in a light jog.

Alastor slowed down, but didn't stop, letting Angel catch up. "There's a way, Angel. I know there is. I've _always_ found a way."

"Yeah?" There was an almost mocking tone to his voice, but sadness was within his eyes.

"Yes. There is." Alastor stared Angel down, but the other didn't so much as lean back, looking intensely.

"Well... what if there isn't?" Angel folded his arms in front of his chest.

Alastor shook his head quickly. "You just need to give me time to think."

"You're wasting your time, Al'. Just go back to the room and-"

"I am NOT letting you die. Not Husk. Not Vaggie or Charlie either." Alastor nearly shouted, but stopped himself, not wanting to cause any disturbances to the neighboring rooms.

Angel was smiling, leaning against the wall behind him. "You're not letting us die. It's just how the cards fell."

Suddenly, Angel felt himself get pushed back. Alastor had pushed him, a hand around the spider's head to soften the impact. He was close, able to feel Alastor's breathing as deep red eyes stared into his very soul. But, he wasn't afraid. He knew why Alastor was acting this way. There was only one reason. Carefully, he moved his arms around him, pulling him into a hug.

At first, Angel felt his trembling. He expected him to break away. After all, Alastor had never accepted any form of physical contact from him. Not even a handshake. He was practically avoided like the plague. But, he didn't move. Slowly, his chest stopped heaving, and he kept still. His eyes, having stared into Angel's for probably the longest they had ever looked at each other, eventually closed. Standing upright and getting off from Angel, he held him. Again, his face was unreadable.

"I... I just..."

"Alastor." The word felt a little awkward. Angel never said his full name. But this time, it was important. As Alastor looked up, a hand gently cupped around his chin and cheek. Seeing the tears threatening to fall in those red eyes, he almost cried himself; but he had to be strong. "It'll be fine."

"How can you say that, Angel Dust? I've thrown away everything." Alastor moved away, his eyes closed. "Mon cher... I will find a way to fix all of this."


	7. Chapter 7

"I'm very sorry it had to come to this." The demon spoke quietly, and at first observation, looked heartless. He stood, stoic, the gun his hand pointing downwards at the laying figure.

But, to the figure who sat behind the barrel, that was far from the truth. He _knew_ the man. He knew his tendencies, what his heart desired, and had a good idea of what he was thinking. Those words were _true_. The man was sorry. But even knowing this, the figure resigned itself, the rain pouring on his body. His fate was sealed, and there was no escape. Years of being the one in front of the barrel, he experienced power, enjoying the thrill of taking life, and doing it all for this one person.

Now, that very same person was now going to kill him. He felt tears, but he did not sob. He let them fall, yet his breath was steady. He wasn't ready to die, but in the face of death, he'd not show weakness. He'd embrace it. After all, this was the second time he'd die. He knew what it was like to die... and the fear of what a second death meant? He figured he'd find out soon.

There was no time to register. A bullet traveled into his skull, vision embracing black, and his body falling limp.

* * *

Angel suddenly sat up, alerting Alastor to the panting spider. He looked as if he had run a marathon, his eyes wide, and breathing rapid. His hands on his own chest, he leaned down, placing his face on a pillow he had grabbed. Alastor thought to reach out, but retracted his hand.

"Are you alright, Angel?" Alastor whispered.

"Y... yeah. Just... just a nightmare is all."

Realizing just how close he had gotten to Angel, he scooted back a bit, turning around. The last thing he needed right now was a silly little crush. He had come to terms that he had grown to like the one he had once detested. Hearing Angel shuffle a bit more, he listened. It was early morning, so he was wide awake now anyways. More than that, he began hearing other soft noises. Muffled. Soon, he was able to identify just what it was, slowly turning around to see Angel face down in his pillow.

"Angel?"

He refused to turn around, not wanting to stress Alastor out, or show him how terrible he looked. Though, at this point, he probably already was making the latter worried. Wiping his tears quickly with his forearm, he turned, sighing. He could already feel how puffy his eyes were, no doubt visible even in the dim light of the waking sun. There was a momentary pause, Alastor staring, before he wrapped his arms around the crying demon.

"I..." Angel wasn't sure what to say, but accepted the hug, his arms tightly locking as he nuzzled into the other's collar.

Alastor didn't hesitate this time, his arms around Angel in a comfortable embrace. It was the least he could do. He hadn't even discussed payment with Angel or Husk, though from what the plan looked like, it felt like it ultimately wouldn't be necessary. He didn't want to think about that at all. He had thought about it the entire day, but he still couldn't figure it out, the constant thinking and doubts increasing his anxiety to an all time high. He had bonded with the two so much throughout this experience, and despite him being passive most of the time, he knew it in himself. He just never wanted to show it.

The voice on the phone was right, after all. He never intended to bond with any of them. The hotel was a simple game, and a way to kill time since, believe it or not, even he needed a break from the constant killings and dealings of a demon overlord. He let his heart get in the way of what was the more intelligent move. Now, both he and his friends were paying the price.

'I will think of something. It will come.' Alastor repeated. He knew if he couldn't, then it wouldn't just be them dying.

Feeling Angel relax in his grip, he felt some bit sense of ease, watching the heaving come to a close, and the grip on him soften. Soon, the scared spider was once again snoozing, his face buried into Alastor's chest.

"Good grief. I can't believe I feel so deeply for you." He whispered to his sleeping bedmate, who didn't respond.

Lifting a hand gently, careful not to make noise, he cupped Angel's cheek, stroking the three noticeable birthmarks that looked like dots. Then, he adjusted his position to get more comfortable, bringing Angel even closer, kissing into his hair. This... felt incredibly right to him. For even just a few minutes, he felt total comfort. But his heart would wrench as the unavoidable panic would eventually come back to him.

This could be his last days with Angel.

* * *

"Angel Dust and Husk are with him." The demon spoke quietly.

"How fitting. Two loose ends..." The voice was uncertain, and the other demon noticed this.

"How would you like to proceed?"

"...we'll let it happen, as I said. They only have a few days left."


	8. Chapter 8

The day arrived quicker than he anticipated. It was a beautiful day. The sky was clear of its lighter red plumes, and the sun shone in the middle of the horizon. He woke up early, out of both habit, and the occasion. He sat on a chair, staring at the beautiful sight he had grown to overlook.

This could be the very last day he saw it.

So many things, he thought the same of. Turning away from the sunset, he walked past the sleeping spider and cat to get to the bathroom mirror. He stared at himself for a long time, watching his own features. He was breathing. His eyes were open. He looked the same as ever. But, everything held a different kind of weight. The finality of it all was so heavy.

When he walked back, Angel had awakened, sitting against the headboard of the hotel's bed. He looked at Alastor for a second, then gave a shaky exhale, looking at the opposite corner of the room. He was obviously uncomfortable.

Alastor stood still for a while, looking at the white back wall of the room, before leaning onto the support behind him, folding his arms. It was at this point that he finally met eyes with Angel. For a moment, he felt a strong pull on his heart. The more he stared, slowly, the pain numbed out. Then he felt normal again. There was an unspoken tension, continuing to rise as the silence stood by.

A long few minutes passes, and there is rustling. Angel flips the blanket over to the side and stands up, approaching Alastor. This was much like the other day outside the hotel, but in inverse. His hands taking the one against the wall's, he looked more closely, and cautiously. His lips moved, as he didn't know what to do now. What was he even _trying_ to do? There was only one thing for certain; _something_ had to be done.

He blinked once to look away, and only with that, everything seemed to take an even more somber tone. His head turning just slightly, he could still see the other demon in the corners of his sight. But, soft fingers gave his cheek a soothing touch, guiding him to look back. He was greeted by an equally soft smile, but the eyes behind it were unmistakable.

Angel read them so well now.

He was lured in closer, and closer. Soon he wasn't even being pulled at all. Both of their eyes closed as they shared a kiss; one that foretold of each other's deepest emotions. Desperation, sorrow, desire, and fear. Angel pushed in harder, and Alastor gladly indulged him. Lips intimately mended, hands roamed, and hearts raced. As one took a breath, the other would wait, returning to that scared, needy glare. Anything to savor this feeling of _attachment_. Then, another flurry of emotions, each kiss, breath, and moan taken in to its fullest.

"I... can't lose you..." Angel had been scared to disrupt the dance they were in, but was immediately relieved to feel Alastor rub the back of his neck.

"You'll never lose me."

The words hurt to say, and evidently, it hurt Angel too, as he held tighter.

"Never..."

* * *

"If you guarantee the safety of my friends, then I'll gladly give you my life."

Alastor spoke confidently, but he was scared. He didn't have any doubt that this was what he wanted, but a second death... he hadn't considered the thought seriously.

"If this is a trick, all of them will die. And you'll live to see each of them personally."

"No games. I... understand that my time has ended."

"You'll enter the hotel alone. No funny business, or these two fine women are gone."

The call ended there. Casting the phone out into the river before him, he turned back to his companions, Angel puffing fumes into the air from a cigar, and Husk waiting in the driver's seat, looking straight ahead.

Alastor went into the backseat, and Angel flicked the poison away, getting into the passenger they drove away from the motel, he stared outside the window, watching everything fade by. Consciously, he was clinging to it all. But, he knew what he was doing was right. If he told himself days ago that he'd be sacrificing himself, he would've laughed.

"...where's the meeting spot?"

"I'll give you the directions as we go.

The drive was quiet, save for Alastor's simple, concise directions.

"We're here." Husk was quiet as he parked right in front of their destination.

"Wait... what the hell is this?"

Angel's eyes widened, and he finally looked back for the first time during the ride. That wasn't Alastor. This was a shadow.

* * *

Before he even processed it, he was back at the hotel. The sign was trashed, and the rest of the building looked worse for wear. Not surprising, since they hadn't left without a fight. Dark cars surrounded the area, parked neatly, and the front doors were wide open. No one seemed to be there, but it was obviously a trap. Seeing through his shadow's eyes, he could see Angel cry and grip his collar. He sighed, grimacing.

"I knew you two would never agree. Please, don't hate me..."

"Al', you can't do this!" Angel begged, grabbing the mimic by its shoulders.

Alastor looked into his eyes, seeing the tears threaten to flow. For a fleeting moment, he felt as if he wanted to go back. To be selfish, and just hold Angel right there and then. Maybe running everyday of his life would be worth it. He could avenge Charlie and Vaggie once his strength fully returned, even. But in the end, he shook his head, as much as his heart pleaded. It would only hurt all of them even more.

Snapping, his shadow carried out its owner's will. But for just a second, it reached out, touching Angel's cheek. Then vanished.


	9. Apology

Hello to anyone who is still there.

There probably isn't anyone there anymore, and that's all my fault. I took a long break away from writing, and I never said anything until now. But, radiodust has always been on my mind like a lover's heartbreak. I might be coming back soon.

We'll see. Again, I'm sorry for leaving all of you... though, it's not like any of you were missing out anyhow.


End file.
